40 thousand Russian troops stationed in Donbass - Poroshenko

Poroshenko made a statement to this effect during festivities commemorating the 24th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence in Kiev.

KIEV (QHA) -

Over 50 thousand Russian troops are currently stationed near the Ukrainian-Russian border, while more than 40 thousand Russian troops, including 9 thousand Russian servicemen in senior command positions, are deployed in the occupied areas of Donbass.

Moscow has supplied a total of 500 tanks, 400 canons and 950 armored personnel carriers. This week alone has seen three large convoys bound for Luhansk, Donetsk and Debaltsevo cross into the Ukrainian territory, Pyotr Poroshenko is reported as saying.

“There’s no alternative to a peaceful solution of the crisis, nor is there an alternative to the Minsk peace accords, which have been upheld by both the UN Security Council’s decision and the EU’s decision. However, we’re no pacifists, which is why we’ll be increasing defense spending, “ Poroshenko said.